Once again, Rick Barnes has Tennessee Basketball reloading, not rebuilding. After landing Maryland Terrapins transfer point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Vanderbilt Commodores transfer power forward Jaylen Carey and five-star freshman wing Nate Ament, he seemed perfectly positioned to offset the loss of four starters last year.
All that was left was a two-guard.
Gillespie’s teammate, Rodney Rice, going to the USC Trojans, was a blow, but Barnes didn’t give up. Instead, he went to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs and found a guy who averaged double figures last year and has played at two other Power Five schools in the past, one in the SEC.
Shooting guard Amaree Abram announced his transfer from LT to Tennessee Basketball Tuesday. At 6’4″ 195 pounds, Abram is exactly what the Vols need. He averaged 12.3 points per game last year, shooting 37.3 percent from the free throw line and 84.8 percent from the free throw line.
The ability to shoot was key for this system. Before playing at LT, Abram played for the Ole Miss Rebels as a freshman, averaging eight points a game, and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets last year, averaging just under three and a half points per game.
Going to a smaller school alone isn’t the only reason he upped his scoring, though. His free throw shooting percentage was in thew 60s his first two years, so it’s clear the biggest thing for him was to work on his shot and become a more lethal force from outside.
Combine that with how Barnes can develop him defensively, and he’s a perfect fit.
Now, will Abram be the next Chaz Lanier or Dalton Knecht? The guy who transfers from a smaller school and shines for the Vols his last year of eligibility? Probably not. However, given what he does, he can be a very effective player, and Barnes can plug him in at the two.
UT’s starting lineup now looks like Gillespie at the point, Abram at the two, Ament at the three, Carey at the four and Felix Okpara at the five. Cade Phillips returning and J.P. Estrella getting healthy give them all the depth they need in the post, and Bishop Boswell along multiple incoming freshmen give them depth.
Simply put, with Abram, they now have a complete roster. Barnes might not be done in the portal, but once again, Tennessee Basketball looks to be in great shape and poised for another deep run next year. The only question is whether or not Barnes can handle a one-and-done player.
